(formerly WNØCLR (1962), WAØCLR, VE4/WAØCLR, GMØ/WAØCLR, ACØL, VE3/ACØL & V31TD)

During my Freshman year in high school at St. Cloud, MN, my Elmer, Bob Packer, WØVHE(SK) gave me my Novice Test.  WNØCLR arrived in February, 1962.  The license was good for one year and non-renewable.  Novices were limited to 75 watts, crystal controlled and CW only.  My first rig was a Hallicrafters SX-4Ø receiver, a J-38 hand key and a home brew transmitter.  It used a 5U4 rectifier, a 6J5 in a Pierce oscillator and a 6L6 final class C final and ran about 35 watts.  All parts except for the chassis were scrounged from an old TV set.  I acquired 2 crystals, 1 for 8Ø Meters and 1 for 4Ø Meters.  I picked up to a DX-4Ø at a hamfest in May.  In late 1962 I traveled to the FCC Field Office in St Paul, passed the Technician License and my call changed to WAØCLR.  I still have the J-38.